Historical April 1979 report or notice. Original dates, prices, program details and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Members of the Art Fair Committee met March 9 at George and Karen Brown’s. General plans and some ideas were discussed.
Sharon Coleman presented a logo for use on Art Fair signs and literature. The logo is a sweeping quarter-circle rainbow being “painted” by a paint roller.
Rick Hellan suggested a calliope on the day of the Fair. Other thoughts on the publicity side included tee-shirts and bumper stickers incorporating the new logo.
Betty Burke asked that St. Roch’s be included as a special entry on the House Tour this year. As it has just recently been painted and fixed up, St. Roch’s was agreed to be a good “house.”
General Chairperson for this year is Karen Brown. A newcomer to the Art Fair scene this year is Carol Watkins, House Tour Chairperson. Venita Lake is again handling the artists this year. Peggy [surname unclear in source] is working solely on Children’s Art.
Rick Hellan is giving publicity a new look. Karen Bynum is doing the job on Fund Raisers. Brad Weir and Dick Webb are continuing on Traffic and Fences. The Information Booth is being managed by Arlene Webb. Sanitation has co-chairpersons George Brown and Kirk Watkins.
The purpose of the Skinker-DeBaliviere Art Fair and House Tour over the past ten years has changed very little: to provide an exhibition of local artists’ works, to promote the neighborhood — its houses and its residents, and to raise funds for neighborhood groups as a side benefit of providing services for the Fair-goers.
Keeping these general purposes in mind, Fair organizers have established several policies or guidelines in making decisions. Since the artists’ displays are a main attraction, and represent an investment in time and money on artists’ parts, every effort is made to promote and protect the displays. So, dogs and bicycles are prohibited from the Fair area and fund raisers are situated to serve the Fair-goers without detracting from the displays.
Certain criteria have been developed over the years to maintain the quality of work displayed: graphic art work must be original. Copies are not permitted. Factory or commercially made sculpture and craft items are not permitted. All items must be the production of the exhibitor. If an item contains factory or commercially-made components, there must be substantial synthesis of those components or the work is not permitted. And the Art Fair Board has worked hard to enforce those standards.
Fund-raisers do just that for neighborhood organizations but they are encouraged, too, to provide services such as food or something for the kids.
Representation from neighborhood organizations is an important part of telling others about Skinker-DeBaliviere and the diversity of people who live here. However, a strict rule of “no causes” is also observed. This means that regardless of whatever political, moral, economic or other type of issue an organization is concerned with it is not permitted to promote that cause at the Fair.
The House Tour is planned to show the diversity of housing stock in the neighborhood and, when possible, houses are selected to reflect a range of size, decorating styles, and location within the neighborhood. Although vacant houses or houses which are for sale have been on the tour in the past, selling a particular house is never the purpose of the tour and members of the selection committee are asked to remove themselves from the selection process if they have a monetary or personal interest in any house which is under consideration.
Original photograph caption
Original illustration beside Art Fair and House Tour planning report. The Paper, April 1979, page 1. Artist not credited.
Originally published in The Paper, April 1979.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Peggy’s printed surname appears Grerbach; an uncertainty marker preserves unresolved name rather than silently substituting a known person.
Original source: SD_Times1979_04.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
